Search Climate Insights Directory

This fact sheet provides guidance on Adaptation Communications (ADCOMs) under the UNFCCC, explaining their purpose, voluntary nature, and flexible submission options. It specifically details how countries can align ADCOMs with National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes to reduce reporting burdens and provide input for the first global stocktake.

The September 2021 Global Update from Climate Action Tracker reports that global climate action continues to lag behind the requirements for limiting warming to 1.5°C. While some countries have updated their NDCs, the 2030 emissions gap remains significant (20-23 GtCO2e). The report introduces a new rating system where only The Gambia is rated as overall 1.5°C compatible, while most developed nations are rated as 'Insufficient' or worse due to inadequate climate finance and policy implementation. It further critiques the lack of transparency and robustness in most national net zero targets and highlights the continued reliance on coal and gas in several major economies.

This policy brief explores how African pension funds can be leveraged to address the electricity access gap in Africa by investing in renewable energy-backed (RE) bonds. It argues that while there is a significant opportunity to align long-term pension obligations with long-lived energy infrastructure, systemic barriers regarding investment vehicles, regulatory frameworks, and government environmental policies must be addressed to unlock this capital.

A case study detailing a solar-powered cold storage innovation developed by Manamuz Electric LTD to reduce food spoilage and increase income for smallholder farmers in Nigeria.

This policy brief examines the evolution of global hazardous waste regulation, from early marine pollution treaties to the Basel Convention and its Ban Amendment. It highlights the risks of 'toxic colonialism,' the challenges of managing rapidly growing e-waste streams, and the need for proactive governance to protect vulnerable populations during the energy transition.

This report examines the financial risks faced by African oil and gas producers during the global energy transition, specifically the danger of 'stranded assets' and the vulnerability of National Oil Companies (NOCs). It argues that governments and NOCs often base investment decisions on unrealistic price assumptions and calls for increased transparency and the adoption of Paris Agreement-aligned scenarios to protect public finances.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes the strategic position of African states within the World Trade Organization (WTO). It argues that African nations must shift from a strategy of blocking new negotiations to one of active participation, particularly regarding the COVID-19 vaccine TRIPS waiver, the stalled Doha Round, and Joint Statement Initiatives (JSIs) on digital trade and investment.

This report uses the Global Subsidies Initiative – Integrated Fiscal Model (GSI-IF model) to analyze the potential for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and fiscal savings across 32 countries through fossil fuel subsidy reform (FFSR) and fossil energy taxation by 2030.

This July 2021 issue of the Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical security and political challenges across Africa. It focuses on the African Union's (AU) struggle to implement maritime security strategies, the rise of cybercrime and the legislative responses in South Africa, the ten-year legacy of the Arab Spring in North Africa, and the impact of the June 2021 elections on Ethiopia's structural divisions.

This research paper by Chux Daniels and Mafini Dosso examines the limitations of current science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies in Africa and proposes the adoption of Transformative Innovation Policy (TIP) and Smart Specialization Strategies (S3) to achieve broader societal and economic transformations, using Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria as case studies.

This policy brief analyzes the services market access negotiations under the WTO E-commerce Joint Statement Initiative (JSI). It highlights a significant trade imbalance, where developed nations are net exporters of the targeted digital services while developing nations are net importers. The brief identifies key challenges, including the 'technological neutrality' of GATS, the undecided legal architecture of the JSI, and a lack of gender and social inclusion considerations. It recommends that developing countries pursue a 'built-in development dimension' through progressive liberalization and multi-stakeholder national assessments.

This policy brief examines the role of youth-led organisations, specifically the Youth Network for the Lake Chad Region (YoNeLCR), in peacebuilding and stabilisation efforts within the Lake Chad Basin. It analyzes how the COVID-19 pandemic hindered these initiatives through movement restrictions and funding cuts, while also identifying opportunities for youth to engage with regional bodies like the African Union and the Lake Chad Basin Commission to enhance community resilience against the Boko Haram insurgency.

This policy brief examines the role of nuclear science and technology in advancing Africa's sustainable development, specifically aligning with the AU's Agenda 2063 and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It highlights applications in healthcare and agriculture, the existing infrastructure of research reactors, and the legal frameworks ensuring the peaceful use of nuclear energy on the continent.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the intersection of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It analyzes how Chinese infrastructure investment and trade goals overlap with Africa's ambition for a single continental market, highlighting both the potential for synergy and the risks of economic imbalance.

The report 'The Road to Sustainable Transport' examines the environmental and social impacts of global transportation, the evolution of international policy from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to the Sustainable Development Goals, and case studies of sustainable urban mobility. It highlights the role of public transit, non-motorized transport, and electrification in reducing carbon emissions and improving public health, while noting the potential for post-COVID-19 recovery packages to accelerate these transitions.

The 100 Days Report details the activities of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) from February 5 to May 15, 2021. The organization focused on advocacy for Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), supporting the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy and the COP26 Energy Transition Council, and providing technical assistance for energy access in several developing nations.

The April 2021 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the operational challenges of the newly merged African Union Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) department, the diplomatic deadlock over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and governance crises in Senegal, Benin, Cameroon, and Chad.

This report analyzes the opportunities and barriers to digitizing humanitarian and social protection cash transfers in Nigeria. It identifies a bank-led market where most payments are still delivered via over-the-counter cash collection or restricted e-vouchers. The study highlights regulatory hurdles, such as agent e-float limits and high USSD costs, alongside low recipient digital literacy and infrastructure gaps, while proposing a segmentation-based approach to transition ready recipients toward permanent digital wallets.

The report provides a strategic roadmap to transition humanitarian and social protection cash transfers in Nigeria from physical cash to a permanent digital wallet system within an open-loop payment ecosystem. It identifies key barriers, including recipient unreadiness, regulatory restrictions, and a fragmented digital payment landscape, and proposes a phased approach involving recipient segmentation, digital ecosystem development, and regulatory advocacy.

This executive summary, commissioned by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), provides guidance to the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) for the sustainable development of its mini-grid sector. It compares the regulatory frameworks, tariff structures, and subsidy schemes of Sierra Leone and Nigeria, while emphasizing the role of Productive Use of Electricity (PUE) in enhancing rural economic development and mini-grid viability.